Bulbs clustered, narrowly conical, 0.5--1 cm in diam., attached to a horizontal rhizome; tunic light brown, subleathery, subentire. Leaves subequaling scape, 1--1.5(--2) mm wide, adaxially channeled, margin ± scabrous. Scape 10--25 cm, terete, slightly angled, covered with leaf sheaths only at base. Spathe persistent. Umbel hemispheric to globose, few flowered. Pedicels equal, 2(--3) × as long as perianth, ebracteolate. Perianth purple-red; segments with conspicuous midvein, broadly elliptic to ovate, (4--)5 mm, apex obtuse; outer ones boat-shaped; inner ones slightly longer than outer. Filaments subulate, subequal, 1--2 × as long as perianth segments, connate at base and adnate to perianth segments. Ovary subglobose, without concave nectaries at base. Style not exserted. Fl. and fr. Jun--Aug. 2 n = 16.

Scrub, stony slopes, steppes. NW Xinjiang (Toli Xian) [Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Russia].